Spiced Fig Jam With Ginger

Last week I brought you my all-time favorite homemade preserve — balsamic fig jam with black peppercorn. Hopefully, you still have enough figs left over because you will definitely want to try my other favorite fig recipe. It’s just as simple to make, sweeter but not too sweet, and even low in sugar without sacrificing that decadent jammy flavor.

We start with tree-ripened figs… spice ’em up with some cinnamon and cloves… and just a touch of fresh ginger. The ingredients alone conjure up comforting images of fall colors and cashmere and holiday music and sitting next to a fire with a cup of tea and a slice of toast smeared with this delicious, spice-scented jam.

Destem and coarsely chop your figs. You should end up with about 7 to 8 cups of chopped fruit.

I use 1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger for a subtle ginger flavor, but feel free to add another spoonful if you want a more gingery kick.

Bundle the cinnamon stick and cloves together, and tie the spices into a cheesecloth satchel.

Combine the figs, spice satchel, ginger, sugar, and lemon juice in a large pot. Bring everything to a full boil over medium-high heat, stirring to prevent the figs from sticking and burning. You want the mixture to remain boiling at a point where it cannot be stirred down.

Boil down the mixture until a candy thermometer inserted into the pot reads 220°F. On my stovetop, this took about 30 minutes of constant boiling and stirring. The jam should be rich and thick, and the volume reduced by almost half.

When your jam is ready, remove from heat and discard the spice satchel.

Ladle the jam into hot, clean jars, seal with lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (adjusting time for altitude if necessary).

You can spread the jam onto toast or muffins, but it’s also good for other things besides bread. I’m not much of an oatmeal person, but a few heaping spoonfuls of this spiced gingery fig preserve on top of warm oatmeal is enough to almost make me change my mind!

Absolutely. Since no pectin is needed to set the jam, you just have to make sure you cook the fruit down enough to make it jammy. I’d recommend making your double batch in a wide (rather than a deep) pot, so that the heat distributes evenly.

Bobi_white

I am planning on making both of your fig jams, but would like to do a saller batch on the ginger one… Do you think it will be okay if I cut the recipe in half? Are there any adjustments you recommend if I do so?

Hello!

I’m Linda and I’m the Garden Betty. I like to grow my own food and celebrate life around good meals. I love to turn weekend getaways into week-long road trips and spend my days in the sun, sand or surf. Read more